Rare albino kangaroo sighted in Australia

The rare albino kangaroo at Namadgi National ParkPhoto: ROHAN THOMSON/THE CANBERRA TIMES

By Jonathan Pearlman, Sydney

3:30PM GMT 15 Nov 2013

A rare albino kangaroo has been spotted roaming bushland outside Australia’s capital, surprising wildlife experts who say such creatures are easy prey and usually die young.

The kangaroo, an eastern grey, is believed to be two years old. Experts said this is old for an albino kangaroo, which stands out against the Australian bushland and therefore attracts more predators such as wild foxes and dogs. Albinos are also apparently more susceptible to skin cancer and sunburn and are more likely to have sight and hearing difficulties.

“Grey kangaroos are grey for a reason — they blend in with the rest of the environment,” a parks ranger, Brett McNamara, told The Canberra Times.

The albino, first captured on film last weekend by a park ranger at the Namadgi national park near Canberra, stands in stark contrast to the family of grey kangaroos with which it roams.

However, Mr McNamara said the albino’s closeness to its family may have helped to protect it. Rangers have not been able to get close enough to the kangaroo to definitely determine its gender but believe it is female and have nicknamed it Renee.

“There would be a dominant male kangaroo, there would be a harem of females that he would be keeping a close eye on, then there would be some adults and obviously the juveniles coming through.”

The rangers have refused to reveal the exact location of the kangaroo amid concerns about illegal hunting.

“We are concerned about its ongoing welfare because of some illegal hunting activities that do occur in the park,” Mr McNamara said.

“That something like this can occur, I know it’s all a bit clichéd, but literally a stone’s throw from the nation’s capital - what other national capital anywhere in the world could you do something like that?